Statment making finishes from Jandiroba & Garcia Jr. at UFC Vegas 94
The women’s Strawweight division looks to have found a new challenger to the crown.
While Amanda Lemos is known as a well-rounded threat the consensus waws that Virna Jandiroba needed to have their fight on the ground to find success. From the very first takedown attempt Lemos showed she was game to see who the superior grappler is, choosing not to defend the takedown but go straight for the guillotine. Jandiroba would spend most of the first round in control. The fight would go back into the realm in the second round Jandiroba taking Lemos back hunting for a choke before a sudden transition to Lemos arm forcing the tap with 12 second left in the round. Jandiroba racking up her 4th win in a row and 14th career victory by submission. A win that should have her in thick of the title conversation.
Steve Garcia Jr. has grabbed attention once again. The 32-year-old appears to be ready for ranked competition after a fourth consecutive knockout win. After thinking about a takedown the “Mean Machine” forced Choi into a wild exchange in the pocket. A series of left hooks dropping Choi and the ground strikes finish his 13th knockout win.
TUF winner Kurt Holobaugh weaponize his cardio pushes a fast pace making Kayman Kruschewsky fend off takedowns. Holobaugh escaping Kruschewsky’s choke attempts countering Kruschewsky’s Thai clinch with body work. Holobaugh almost found the finish in the second round as his left hooks were on point. Kruschewsky third round comeback was cut short as Holobaugh escaped a tight choke and held top position over the final two minutes.
Having his own teammate from American Top Team challenging for his spot in the rankings lit a fire under Cody Duren. Duren’s size and reach advantage was utilized through the first round as he beat Brun Silva to the punch. The striking continued to be in Duren’s favor scoring a knockdown off right hand leading to a sequence of choke attempts and escapes. Back to his feet Silva showed the power that had knocked down his three previous opponents as a right uppercut sent Duren’s mouthpiece flying. The Brazilian swarmed to finish on the ground an elbow opening Duren under his left eye. The overwhelming ground and pound securing Silva’s fourth win in a row. A win that should have him take Duren’s number 14 in the Flyweight rankings.
Doo Ho Choi has returned to the win column for the first time since 2016. A true make it or break it fight. Choi unsarcastically jumped on a guillotine surrendering one of Bill Algeo’s two first round takedowns. The old “Korean Superboy” came out in the second round as his boxing opened a cut on Algeo’s right eye. A Choi left hook into that right eye crumbled Algeo to the ground for the stoppage. Eight years since his last win Doo ho Choi earns his 12th win by knockout.
Hyder Amil forced the main card opener into a wild brawl. Jeong Yeong Lee touched Amil with a short right hand. Amil felt how hot the temperature could get and dove right into the fire unleashing a combination of 38-punches forcing the standing TKO. Standing technical knockouts are rare and Amil has done it in his first two UFC fights.
Cody Gibson pushed his chips all in for his camp against Brian Kelleher stepping away from his job and relocating to Las Vegas. The gravity of such a decision translated into an inspired and aggressive approach. Gibson putting knockout intentions on every strike thrown. An elbow hurting Kelleher who rushed on jumping a guillotine putting himself on bottom. Gibson on top attacks an arm-triangle for the submission.
The ground game was on display for Miranda Maverick who racked up over eight minutes of control time defeating Dione Barbosa by unanimous decision to make it a three-fight win streak. Almost ten minutes of control time on four takedowns saw Trey Ogden make it consecutive wins taking a unanimous decision over Loik Radzhabov.
A high volume Muay Thai attack was on display from Luana Carolina who left a foot imprint on Lucie Pudilova’s stomach from teap kicks. The Brazilian nearly doubled her Czech counterpart in land strikes in route to a third decision win in a row.
The night got started with Thomas Petersen earning his first official win in the UFC taking a unanimous decision over Mohammed Usman. The former LFA champion was a forward pressing force disrupting Usma’s timing with his straight left and a peppering jab.
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